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'Aladdin' a wild (carpet) ride

David Lyman, Special to Cincinnati Enquirer
Published 1:45 p.m. ET May 31, 2018

There is lots and lots of spectacle in this production of “Aladdin.” But at its heart, this is a love story between a princess (Isabelle McCalla as Jasmine) and a penniless commoner (Clinton Greenspan as Aladdin). The show runs through June 10 at the Aronoff Center.(Photo: Provided/Photo by Deen van Meer)

“Splashy?” “Flashy?” “Audacious?” Nah – those barely scratch the surface when you’re trying to describe the Disney stage version of “Aladdin.”

The show that opened at the Aronoff Center Tuesday night is an outright spectacle; gaudy and glitzy, playful and sassy, kitschy and extravagant. Did I miss “joyful?”

Director/choreographer Casey Nicholaw is the guy behind this production, which is based the 1992 animated feature that starred the late Robin Williams as the Genie. The movie was uproarious and filled with the rapid-fire, stream-of-consciousness humor that Williams was known for.

But Nicholaw is no slouch. He is as imaginative as anyone currently working on Broadway. Seriously. He could wring humor out of a raw potato. Unpeeled. He directed and choreographed two of the most outlandish musicals to ever hit Broadway – “The Book of Mormon” and “Something Rotten!” Actually, he co-directed “Mormon,” but you can see the Nicholaw influence through every knee-slapping moment of the show.

He doesn’t do it alone, of course. With “Aladdin,” he has some like-minded and equally talented souls to work with. The music is by Alan Menken, while the lyrics are by the late Howard Ashman, along with Tim Rice and Chad Beguelin, who also wrote the script.

Nicholaw and his collaborators give us a show that is jam-packed with goodies. Pay attention and you’ll see references to everything from “The Price Is Right” to “The Little Mermaid,” from “A Chorus Line” to “Beauty and the Beast.” You’ll see Shriners in there, too, and heavily-feathered showgirls worthy of Philadelphia’s Mummers Parade. There are dozens more, too, if only you’re up on your popular culture and are quick enough to keep up with the pace.

What do all those things have to do with the story of the smalltime thief who falls in love with a princess? In terms of the plot, nothing. But in the hands of gifted creative people working with a Disney-sized budget, it means a fast-moving show filled with memorable melodies, equally memorable puns, clever choreography and eye-popping scenic devices.

There’s old-fashioned hoofing, too. And a zoot-suited Genie who occasionally seems to be channeling Cab Calloway. (If you don’t know who he is, check YouTube. He was great.)

This is an “Aladdin” that Vegas would be proud to call its own. And I mean that in the best way. When Aladdin enters a dark cave to retrieve the genie’s lamp, he unleashes a multi-megawatt explosion of glitz. Shimmering, sparkling, shiny and deliciously tongue-in-cheek. There is so much going on that you don’t know where to look. Until, that is, the cast launches the show-stopping “Friend Like Me” musical number.

Yes, the broadness of it all occasionally borders on the cartoonish. And the sound balance between the singers and the dozen-plus musicians in the pit is sometimes off. But all is forgiven when the flying carpet shows up. Or when dancers pop out of the floor. Or when fireworks illuminate the cave.

“Aladdin” isn’t all about technology and dazzling costumes, mind you. Nicholaw and company have stacked this show with a wonderful and highly likeable cast. Even the bad guys – Jonathan Weir (Jafar) and Jay Paranada (Iago) – are agreeable.

But in the end, this is a show about a modern-thinking princess (Isabelle McCalla) and the penniless young man (Clinton Greenspan) she comes to adore. And, of course, the snarky, scene-stealing Genie, played by Michael James Scott. Impudent, fearless, quick-witted and ever-so-charming, Scott owns this show from the moment he appears on the stage in a puff of smoke.